SALISBURY, NC (February 28, 2010) – The Kutztown University softball team concluded its successful trip to the Tar Heel state by falling 3-2 to Wayne State (MI) in the championship game of Catawba tournament Sunday afternoon.
Despite the one-run defeat, the loss can't erase the six wins in seven games of this excursion down Interstates 95 and 85.
The game against Wayne State was the Golden Bears' third taut game of the day. Kutztown (9-3 overall) rallied for a pair of dramatic victories earlier in the day. Kutztown exploded for a five-run sixth inning to defeat Fairmont State, 7-5, in the quarterfinal round. The Golden Bears used some late inning magic in the semifinals to edge Lenoir-Rhyne, 4-3, in eight innings.
In the championship contest, the Golden Bears answered Wayne State's three-run second inning by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. Katie Lynch, who had a phenomenal weekend, smashed a two-out two-run homer to straightaway centerfield. Lynch hit the 3-2 pitch so far that the ball may have landed in Charlotte, which is 49 miles from Salisbury. Scoring ahead of Lynch was Nicole Colineri. Unfortunately, Kutztown could not push across another run.
Kutztown advanced to the finals in thrilling fashion. Playing its first extra inning game of the season, the Golden Bears scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to edge Lenoir-Rhyne. The game was tied at the end of the scheduled seven innings. Lenoir-Rhyne pushed across a run in top of the eighth inning to grab a 3-2 lead.
The Golden Bears' deficit did not last long.
Starting the bottom of the eighth inning with a runner on second base because of the international tiebreaker rule, Kutztown wasted little time tying the score. Michelle McGinty started the inning on second base and advanced to third base following Lynch's groundout to second base. With one out, the Lenoir-Rhyne pitcher was called for an illegal pitch, which enabled McGinty to cross the plate with the tying run. Nicole Henninger kept the inning alive by drawing a walk setting the stage for Heather Hannum, who laced a game winning single down the leftfield line.
Katlin Arbogast, who pitched in all three games and won two of them, tossed a complete game against Lenoir-Rhyne. Arbogast struck out five batters in the middle game.
The day started in great fashion for the Golden Bears. However, Fairmont State scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Kutztown didn't stay behind for long. Hannum provided the snap, crackle and pop in the sixth-inning by leading off the inning with a home run to deep left-centerfield. That blast cut Fairmont State's lead to 5-3 and provided a jolt through the Golden Bear line-up.
Following Hannum's shot, Krista Tedjeske walked, Jennifer Stow singled and Maria Schiavo followed with a RBI single that pulled the Golden Bears to within, 5-4. After Maria Isgro (Galloway, NJ/Absegami)'s field choice brought home Stowe with the tying run, Colineiri finished the inning with a two-run single that had the Golden Bear bench jumping for joy.
In the victory over Fairmont State, Michelle McGinty and Nicole Henninger each doubled during the game.
Kutztown will return to action Saturday afternoon when it competes in its annual Spring Break trip in Clermont (Florida).
